10.14.08

At last the government is calling the “honor killing” of two teen Muslim girls exactly what it is…an honor killing. We have blogged about this many times (see the previous posts here, here, here, here, here and here.)
My only comment: it’s about time.

Almost a year after two teenage girls were found dead — allegedly executed by their father — in the back seat of a taxicab in Texas, the FBI is saying for the first time that the case may have been an “honor killing” — and the bureau is angering Muslim groups by calling it that.

Sarah Said, 17, and her sister Amina, 18, were killed on New Year’s Day, but for nine months authorities deflected questions about whether their father — the prime suspect and the subject of a nationwide manhunt — may have targeted them because of a perceived slight upon his honor.

The girls’ great-aunt, Gail Gartrell, says the girls’ father killed them both because he felt they disgraced the family by dating non-Muslims and acting too Western, and she called the girls’ murders an honor killing from the start.

But the FBI held off on calling it an honor killing until just recently, when it made Yaser Abdel Said the “featured fugitive” on its Web site.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell everybody all along,” Gartrell told FOXNews.com. “I would say that’s a victory.”

But others feel that calling the case an honor killing goes too far.

“As far as we’re concerned, until the motive is proven in a court of law, this is [just] a homicide,” Mustafaa Carroll, the executive director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations in Dallas, told FOXNews.com.

He said he worries that terms like “honor killing” may stigmatize the Islamic community. “We (Muslims) don’t have the market on jealous husbands … or domestic violence,” Carroll said.

The United Nations estimates that 5,000 women are killed worldwide every year in honor killings — mostly in the Middle East, where many countries still have laws that protect men who murder female relatives they believe have engaged in inappropriate activity. A U.N. report includes chilling examples of such cases.

“On the order of clerics, an 18-year-old woman was flogged to death in Batsail, Bangladesh, for “immoral behaviour,” the report reads. “In Egypt, a father paraded his daughter’s severed head through the streets shouting, ‘I avenged my honour.’”

But Islamic scripture in no way condones such actions, Carroll said.

“People have their own cultural nuances and norms from before they got their religion,” he said. “This is not Islamic culture.”

Regardless of whether religion itself is to blame, Gartrell said it is important that society recognizes the case as having a cultural element, just to prevent similar crimes in the future.

“That culture is so different,” Gartrell said. “If people had been more educated about it, they would have known that when the girls told people, ‘Dad wants to kill me’ — they were serious.”

Many of the threats against Sarah and Amina Said were known to their friends and classmates.

High school friends told the Dallas Morning News that the girls sometimes came in with welts and bruises, which they confided were inflicted by their father. One time, Yaser Said reportedly went into one daughter’s bedroom waving a gun and making threats on her life.

After he threatened to kill one daughter in December 2007 — documented in text messages Sarah Said sent to a friend — the girls and their mother, Patricia, fled from their home in Lewisville, Texas, to Tulsa, Okla. But the mother soon had a change of heart and went back, leading to the tragedy on January 1. Some, including Gartrell, believe the mother may even have been complicit in the murders.

Dr. Phyllis Chasler, author of several books, including “The Death of Feminism: What’s Next in the Struggle for Women’s Freedom,” said that the case fits the description of an honor killing.

“The premeditation, the family collaboration, and the particular rules (set for the girls) make this consistent with an honor killing — not just domestic violence,” she said.

She said she hoped that calling the case an “honor killing” might indicate a shift in attitude at the FBI.

“I think this may suggest that law enforcement is beginning to realize that they may have to treat these incidents differently if they are to either prevent or prosecute,” Chasler told FOXNews.com.

She noted that the United Kingdom has a special police unit to deal with “honor-related violence,” and said that she hoped that the situation in the U.S. does not get to the point where that becomes necessary.

But an FBI spokesman played down the significance of the listing, saying that the change on the wanted listing was simply due to more information coming out about the case since it was first listed and that it shouldn’t matter what the case is called.

“We’re just looking at how do we find the guy?” said FBI special agent Mark White, media coordinator in the bureau’s Dallas office. (Helpful hint to the FBI: Watch the mosques. -ed)

Irving Police Department Public Information Officer David Tull agreed. “We just look at the facts. The man killed his two daughters. This is a domestic violence, multiple-capital murder case.”

Tull said that, unfortunately, there have still been no sightings or major leads — a fact that distresses Gartrell.

“I’m very upset about it,” said Gartrell, who argues that the case needs special consideration. “This is not a typical murder case. When a family member murders another family member to protect [the family] name — that’s different.”

Let me get this straight. This Muslim man brings his family to live in Lewisville, TX and then feels dishonored because his daughters try to live the way the rest of the people in the U.S. live, so he kills them. He is dishonored by their western behavior.

But, if I go to his Middle Eastern country, he would expect me to live like the native people in his country. I’m sure he wasn’t forced to come to this “westernized” country. What did he expect when he came here ……..Baghdad West? How cheap is life to this “man”? How can anyone kill their own children. I thank God I was born in the U.S. and that I became a CHRISTIAN!

I’m going to end my comments before I say something I’ll regret. It’s not easy being a Christian …… but, it sure is worth it!!!

It’s not easy being a Christian because we try to make blind people see.
People like you, Tribal Sky.

I’m no different or better than anyone else. If I rant and point my finger, it’s because I, as a sinner, am trying to show others that they are also sinners. The difference is, I am a forgiven sinner and I want you to also be forgiven.

BUT … you’ll continue in your blind world because what would a wacko Christian like me know, right?

The one true living God of the Bible made that my job and every Christian’s job. We are ALL sinners including and especially me! The difference is Christians are saved by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. We are forgiven sinners. People that don’t believe in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ are unforgiven sinners.

You’ll learn all about that when it’s your turn to stand in front of God and explain your life. I’m glad I’m not you.

As a Christian, it is my responsibility to seek justice as God is a God of justice. Listen, I spoke the truth the day of these girls funerals and I will forever stand upon these truths! For doing so, I have multiple death threats and yet, God’s peace is upon me!

Know this, these girls were always kept silenced and in the end…with a gun! As Christians, it is not about walking away! It is about standing for truth and on the side of justice. That’s where I am and where I intend to stay!

Ms. Gartrell,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. What an awful experience you have had to endure.
We pray for your continued safety and pray that through this tragedy, that people will see God’s glory and truly come to understand that God is in control.
We also pray for Justice, but take comfort in the fact that if this murderer does not face charges here, God will make the final judgment one day soon.
Thank you for your strength and thank you for your insightful comments on our blog. We will not forget these wonderful girls who were taken from you.
Praying for you always!!
-Steve

I want to introduce all to the persons of Sarah and Amina. This is important because I promised these girls I would tell thier story, best I can. You all must understand that I was kept from these girls since Yasser sexually abused them at the age of seven and eight. I believe this was done because I was one of the people who kept the children hidden for a single day! During the course of this day, Amina spoke openly to me about what her dad had done. I tried to reassure this child that it was NOT her fault! Her dad should have never done this to her…even so, the saddness in her eyes told me much! After this day, Yaser and my neice went back together and most all of the American side of the family was cut out of these children’s lives. This certainly insured the fact that none of us could ever tell the police what was going on, not even my sister, the girls grandmother! She died, rarely seeing these children after she called about the abuse. This was the cost for speaking up for these girls!

As children, Sarah and Amina were very quiet. They were beautiful from the day they were born. In fact, my Mom, before she died, kept Sarah many, many times. She even called Sarah her baby! There was much love for these children and yet, we were punished for trying to help them.

The night I found out about the murders, is simply indescribable. I knew that my niece had ran with the girls but, I had no clue how deeply my neice had involved herself in the religion of Islam and the culturistic ways of her Egyptian husband. I do now!! I will speak of this later on. The night the girls were murdered, I spoke to my neice while she was at the police station. She simply said, “he shot my girls!” I told her, I know and I am so sorry as I believed that she was sincere in her run with her two girls. My heart was aching and I could not imagine the horror that Amina and sarah felt when they saw that gun come out! This is when I started crying out for God as I knew this situation was much greater than I.

The following days led to truths I could not imagine. I will continue to share what I have found out from those closest to the girls but, not family members. Children, who feel as though it may be part thier fault by merely being a friend to Sarah and Amina! Yasser Said, not only killed his daughters but, he has truly hurt many young teenagers with doubts, fears and forced them to look at thier own mortality…in twisted ways! This is truly one of the most evil experiences I have ever been faced with. Even so, this truth must be told.

As I recover, I will be back to write more and tell truths so that we may limit these evil practices through prayer and with God’s guidance.

‘BUT … you’ll continue in your blind world because what would a wacko Christian like me know, right?’

Blind world? Give me one SOLID piece of evidence that proves your belief. By SOLID I mean UNDISPUTED SCIENTIFICALLY to the point of it not being deniable or researched further. DON’T give me the bible OR the banana.

It is funny that some people may think that such killing relates to islam , lol no i dont think so. this problem is just some fathers with temper problem and they will go to hell for killing because in islam ppl cant take other ppls lives unless it is for protecting your own. get real ppl

Anonymous,
Did you read the article. It states quite clearly that the imans urged the people to do this. It is not “just some fathers with temper problem(s)”, this is a fundamental problem with Islam. It is a fundamental problem with the religious leaders, who should know that the Koran says not to kill, using it to justify killing. Part of the problem is that the Koran doesn’t forbid the killing of so-called “infidels”, it only forbids the killing of other Muslims. I know, because I’ve read the Koran cover to cover. Can you say the same? Your so-called “peace loving” religion is not peace loving at all.
Maybe it’s time for you and the rest of the Muslims in the world to “get real” and take care of these problems in your religion.

“Authorities announced a $10,000 reward Friday for information leading to the arrest and indictment of Yaser Abdel Said.

Yaser Abdel Said is about 6-foot-2, weighing about 180 pounds and has black hair and brown eyes. He last was seen wearing a black turtleneck shirt or sweater, a brown coat and tan pants. He is believed to be armed with a handgun, police said.”

what and why are things like these happened…??in my country,muslim thought us not to hurt others..and killing is abs0lutely wrong.Islam is suppose to teach us to have mercy and respect to each other.no matter what religion u are.

Nadia,
Thank you for the comment. I am happy that you want peace between Muslims and other religions. I am happy that you are taught that killing is wrong.
It is sad that many Muslims in the world are not taught peace and not taught that killing is wrong. They are taught that the Koran says it is OK for them to kill people who are not Muslims. They are taught that killing Jews and Christians is good. They say the Koran tells them to kill. That is very sad.
I hope you will read our blog often and that you will have a peaceful life.

9:5 Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the infidels wherever you find them, and take them captive, and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Whoever has written this blog is sm1 who doesnt even know his own bible…An before you create a blog and starts writing nonsense…go and see well what the Quran says on killing…..the first battle that happen in Islam History was Badr…the Prophet Said: “Dnt attack women..children….and do not cut off trees and do not combat any except those cming to attack you……and these girls were killed…..thta bkoz the people who did this crimes is shortminded…and doesnt know nothing abt Islam…..Islam honours women the most….

And nw if these people is doing this crime…are yyouu going to blame the whole religion……btw…….U said that cristians do sins and Jesus will pay for your sins….then why dnt you start raping girls and killing evry1…and when you are presented before court……You tell the judge…..I shoul nt be punished…bkoz Jesus has paid for my sinss?????????????????????????

dear gail gartrell i hope that when they catch yaser they either lynch him shoot him repeatedly or use a fatal injection on him or put him in the electric chair so he will no longer cause any one grief anymore he’s just going to end up in h-e double hockey sticks anyway but that’s just my opinion and also i’m so sorry about amina and sarah’s deaths but they are happily in heaven and safe now once more

f*** those islamic father…what honor does he have killing his own daughter?no honor,no shame,no fear….i just wonder wat tey teach in guran?…did tey teach to kill own daughter for ter highly honor?……shame shame shame……more over my advice to you all stay away from islamic pple becos ter theory is to kill pple fr ter honor…tey r inhuman.

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